As of Dec. 1, Peggy Chapman’s annual salary rises by one-third, or 33 per cent, from $90,000 to $120,000.

Bratina said the pay hike came after the city’s human resources department evaluated Chapman’s role.

“HR reviewed Peggy’s employment status and found that she was vastly undercompensated based on job description and history,” Bratina said Tuesday. “I didn’t give a raise, she didn’t ask for a raise.”

Chapman, who was hired as Bratina’s chief of staff a year ago, worked as an editor and reporter at the Bay Observer newspaper before she joined the mayor’s office.

She had also worked at a variety of other news outlets (including CHML, the Brabant papers and Hamilton Magazine) and worked at Queen’s Park as a press secretary to then-Labour Minister Brad Clark.

Bratina said his understanding is that the “general range” for the mayor’s chief of staff’s salary should be $125,000 to $145,000.

Former mayor Fred Eisenberger’s chief of staff, Drina Omazic, does not appear on the province’s so-called “sunshine list” — a record of all public sector employees who make more than $100,000.

According to the list, former mayor Larry Di Ianni’s chief of staff, Mario Joanette, made $106,938.92 in 2005 — his last full year at City Hall — including $497.85 in taxable benefits. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) http://www.thespec.com/news-story/2226042-mayor-s-chief-of-staff-gets-33-per-cent-pay-hike/